The National Executives and some members of the Coalition of Non-Governmental Organisations (NGOs) in Water and Sanitation (CONIWAS) had paid a courtesy call on the Minister for Local Government, Chieftaincy and Religious Affairs, Mr. Ahmed Ibrahim, to discuss issues affecting sanitation and hygiene services delivery.
CONIWAS has been actively engaged with government officials and stakeholders to address Water, Sanitation, and Hygiene (WASH) challenges in Ghana.
The Executive Secretary of CONIWAS, Basilia Nanbigne, during her introductory remarks emphasized the need for a stronger collaboration between the ministry, development partners, Civil Society Organisations (CSOs) and NGOs for an effective and sustainable WASH service delivery across all the 261 Metropolitan, Municipal, and District Assemblies (MMDAs).
Madam Nanbigne also appealed for stronger regulations to safeguard WASH services, particularly in rural areas, stressing the importance of improving enforcement mechanisms to ensure compliance with WASH regulations.
Another key issue that featured regularly during the discussions was the issue of funding. The coalition has for some time now being calling for increased funding allocations for WASH services, including a commitment from the government to allocate 0.5% of GDP.
These efforts demonstrate CONIWAS’s commitment to promoting sustainable WASH services in Ghana.
The Executive Secretary of CONIWAS used the opportunity to congratulate the minister for his appointment and a successful vetting and subsequent approval by Parliament.
The minister in his response reaffirmed his ministry’s commitment to working with the Coalition to address sanitation, and hygiene challenges the country is confronted with.
